“Zonoscope” – Cut Copy

Cut Copy’s last album hit #1 in Australia, a fine achievement for the Melbourne quartet, but a daunting bar to set. Fortunately, they’ve leapt over it with Zonoscope, a record that adheres to their chart-topping formula pretty rigorously but gives the music more room to breathe. The group’s synthy melodies stitch together a beautiful soundscape, anchored by a danceable drum beat and Dan Whitford’s soaring vocals. The album opens slowly, beginning with a bouncing synth line which is then joined by drums and a tamborine. As the song progresses and the airwaves fill up with increasing layers of sound, the blueprint for the record springs to life. “I know I’m runnin’ baby / but I need you now” Whitford yearns on “Need You Now”, searching to define himself by the love of another. What distinguishes Cut Copy from the rest of the crop is their ability to create an encompassing ambience that is the exact opposite of how boring that seems. By surrounding you in their wall of sound, Zonoscope immerses you in not just music, but an experience.